


What is a hero?

by darumasama



Series: AUctober [16]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types
Genre: Heroes, M/M, Misunderstandings, Persephone is awesome, idk - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:26:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27042703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darumasama/pseuds/darumasama
Summary: AUctoberOctober 16th - Hero/VillainWill goes to investigate his village's villain's lair.
Relationships: Nico di Angelo/Will Solace
Series: AUctober [16]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1949503
Comments: 6
Kudos: 52
Collections: Solangelo Auctober 2020





	What is a hero?

**Author's Note:**

> Lol, I really was stuck on this one. XD mainly because I didn't want to make either of them villains and I know I could have done the whole, acts like a villain, but secretly isn't think, but idk.
> 
> I hope you enjoy

October 16th - Hero/Villain 

Will wondered through the dark cave looking for the person that lived within its depths. Some people called him a villain, a monster. Someone that didn’t let the souls of the dead rest in peace. Used those souls to steal and pillage the surrounding villages, causing panic and terror. Each hero that had tried to enter the Ghost Kings lair would only come back confused and disoriented, saying that the walls seemed to move and the darkness impenetrable by light. Well, at least until Will wandered into the cave. He knew he wasn’t supposed to, he was just a healer to the true heroes, but there was just something the drew him in. The glow that his body could produce didn’t seem to bother the shadows that lived in the cave. It wasn’t enough to completely light everything up, just enough to make out a path in front of him.

His eyes darted around at the wisps of shadows moving along the walls, ceiling and even the floor of the cave. It was like the cave was made out of it. A small smile found its way to his lips as little shadow like creatures as well as skeletal creatures emerged from time to time. None of them seemed to mind his presence, just curious as to why he was there. The heroes that had come back had never mentioned this, only horrors of darkness and hopelessness. Maybe it was because of the light, maybe it was because he came to explore instead of fight. Either way, everything he had experienced up until now didn’t match the stories they had been told.

A cat skeleton came up to him and rubbed against his legs, an odd feeling for sure considering he was used to soft fur, not rough bones. It followed him as he continued on, every so often chasing a random shadow or another skeleton creature into the darkness only to return when it was bored. A shadow to his left created a little bat from a wisp that fluttered around his head. He put out his hand and it landed in it, looking up at him with large dark eyes. Looking down at the small bat in his hand, and the skeleton cat rubbing against his legs, he wondered how anyone could find this place so scary. Maybe the creatures that lived here didn’t come out for them? Or maybe they couldn’t see them since shadows destroyed any light the took into the cave?

He continued on with the shadow bat now on his shoulder, the cat still on his heels. Eventually the darkness gave way to a gentle green glow ahead. Once he stepped through he was in awe by what he found. Beautiful crystals shined from the walls and the ceiling creating the light, a small waterfall went into a large underground lake, strange luminous moss covered the floor. He twirled around in order to take everything in at once. Who would have guess that inside this cave of darkness was such a beautifully wondrous place?

“How did you get here?” a voice asked, echoing off the cave walls.

“I walked here,” Will answered truthfully remembering that this was probably the Ghost King’s lair. It didn’t look like much of a lair, more like a mysterious wonderland of beauty. Could all of the stories that were told in his village wrong? Were all the people they called heroes wrong about what they saw?

“Obviously,” the voice said with a hint of annoyance. “How did you get past the shadows?”

Will shrugged, “I guess my glowing doesn’t bother them or something. I don’t know.”

“Why are you here? Another hero to come defeat the Ghost King?”

“I’m no hero,” Will laughed dryly. “Just a healer to the heroes. I’ve never been good at fighting so if you are looking for a fight, I’m sorry to disappoint you.”

His eyes were directed behind him as all the shadows in the room seemed to be called to one place, taking a human form. Only this shadowy figure didn’t say shadowy like his little bat friend. The shadows eventually disappeared to reveal a teenage looking boy with shoulder length black hair, dark obsidian eyes and pale white skin, a shadowy cloak surrounding the rest of his body. The boy looked ethereal and ghostly at the same time.

“You don’t wish to fight?” the boy asked curiously.

“Nope,” Will said with the shake of his head. His eyes looked around at the wondrous cave with a smile. “Do you live here?”

The boy’s eyes narrowed, lips pursed. “I do. Why are you here if not to kill me?”

Will shrugged, “I don’t really know. I could feel something calling me here even though I knew I wasn’t supposed to come here. Like I said, I’m no hero, just a healer. Only heroes are supposed to come here to try to defeat you to protect our villages. Is it true what they say about you?”

The boy looked away sadly, “All stories come from some kind of truth.” 

Will couldn’t help but notice how the boy seemed to shrink into himself as if it would protect him from the world. When Will really thought about it, all the stories about the Ghost King weren’t particularly true. He had never seen any ghosts raid their village. Sure things would go missing and as he looked around he noticed that this boy probably took those items to survive. As his eyes once again scanned the area, he noticed that there weren’t any ghosts either. Just shadowy and skeletal animals going about their own business. 

He looked back to the boy, “Well, maybe those stories aren’t as true as everyone says.” He smiled and held out his hand. “I’m Will. Do you have another name other than the Ghost King?”

The boy looked at his hand, eyes narrowed as if trying to figure out what to do. “Why are you not scared of me?”

“You haven’t done anything,” Will said, continuing to smile, hand still outstretched. 

The boy seemed to examine Will’s face then his hand before slowly reaching out his own hand. “I’m Nico.”

“Nico?” Will blinked in confusion. “Didn’t you live in our village like four years ago and then went missing after your sister passed away?”

Nico’s eyes widened in both surprise and fear as he tried to pull his hand away, but Will had a firm grasp on in as he tugged the boy forward a bit.

Will’s smile brightened, “You are Nico di Angelo! You’ve been here all this time? Why did you run away?” The shadows started to move erratically around the cave, causing Will to notice the expression of fear on Nico’s face as he struggled to get away from Will’s grasp. So he let go.

“Sorry,” he said, taking a step back. “I didn’t mean to scare you. It’s just...” He started to play with the hem of his shirt nervously. “Do you remember me?”

“You should leave,” Nico said softly, backing away to the wall, shadows gathering around him like some sort of shield. 

“Oh...” Will said sadly. He had hoped that Nico would remember him from when they were kids and used to play with each other. “Okay... Can I come back to visit?” he asked hopefully.

“Just leave,” Nico whispered, not looking at him at all.

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow.” Will said since Nico didn’t really say he couldn’t come back. Maybe he would bring Nico some of his mothers cookies, those always seemed to cheer people up. Just as he was about to leave down the path he had come from, light started to come from it along with marching footsteps.

“Good job, Will.” Luke said as he entered the Nico’s home. “You led us right to the evil villain’s lair. Now step aside and let a hero save our villages.”

“No!” Will shouted as he rushed to put himself between Nico and Luke arms stretched out. “The stories are wrong. This isn’t the Ghost King that has been terrorizing our villages for centuries, he is Nico di Angelo!”

“He is just trying to confuse you,” Luke said. “He controls the ghosts of our dead. He is using that form to confuse you. Now get out of the way.”

“No,” Will said stubbornly, not moving from his spot.

Luke sighed, “Will, Will, Will. Little naive little Will. You are not a hero so you are unable to see when something is truly evil.” He stepped forward to place a hand on Will’s shoulder. “Step aside Will and the heroes will protect you like we always have.”

Will shook Luke’s hand off him, “No.” He took a few steps back. “Nico isn’t evil.”

Luke sighed again and shook his head. “I guess you are too lost to be saved then.” He raised his sword. “Don’t worry, you’ll soul will be saved after we kill the Ghost King.”

Will froze as he watched the sword come towards him, immobilized by fear. He readied himself for the pain, but it never came. Instead the clang of two swords echoed throughout the chamber, Nico standing protectively in front of him blocking Luke’s sword with his own shadowy sword. They pushed each other away, eying each other like two opposing predators.

Will’s feet became unstuck as he once again put himself between them. “Stop! We don’t have to fight!” 

“Will, step aside.” Luke ordered. “I will kill you too if I have to. Stop protecting this villain that has been terrorizing our villages.”

“This is wrong!” Will desperately tried to explain. “He hasn’t done anything to anyone other than defend me from you. You are the true villain if you don’t stop! A hero knows when to stop!”

“You are not a hero,” Luke sneered. “How dare you call me a villain!”

“Will stop,” Nico said softly behind him. “It’s okay. I am not afraid of death.”

Will turned to Nico with watery eyes, “This is wrong.”

“This is how things are,” Nico simply stated as if he just accepted this as his fate and there was no way to change it. His eyes looked to Luke, “Kill me if you must hero, but leave Will out of this.”

“Will isn’t Will anymore,” Luke frowned. “You have killed him and taken control over him. He is already lost.”

“THAT! IS! ENOUGH!” a woman’s voice boomed from everywhere, each word emphasized. Lady Persephone appeared from the entrance, a hard look on her face. Will and Luke instantly dropped to their knees and bowed out of respect to one of the three queens of the land. 

“Luke Castellan, is it?” Persephone asked.

“Yes, my queen.”

“You claim to be a hero?”

“Yes”

“Then why would you kill someone who is unarmed trying to stop a fight?”

“Because he had been controlled by the Ghost King. It is no longer the Will that I know, but just the shell.”

“And how do you know this?”

“I just do, my queen.”

“Hmm,” Persephone said, unimpressed by the answer. “I think you forget that not all heroes use violence to fight or protect.” She gracefully made her way to Will. “The strongest heroes are those that look past what everyone else sees and do the right thing even if it means to give up their own lives.” She smiled down at Will. “Thank you for protecting my step-son.”

“Step-son?” Will asked as he looked to a wide-eyed Nico next to him.

Persephone smiled towards Nico, “We have been looking for you for quite some time. You’re father is worried about you.”

Nico bit his lip nervously, eyes averted. “I... I’m not Bianca.”

“I never said you were, Nico.” Persephone said softly.

“I’ll never be like her,” Nico whispered. “I’ll never be perfect.”

“All you have to do is be yourself, Nico. No one is ever perfect.” She offered her hand to Nico. “Come home.”

Nico looked at her hand then to Will as if asking what to do, so Will just nodded. Nico then reach out a shaky hand to his step-mother and took her hand.

“Good,” Persephone smiled. “Come hero, we will celebrate Nico’s return along with your amazing act of heroism.” Luke went to stand, but Persephone glared at him. “Not you. You need to relearn what it means to be a hero.” Her eyes looked to Will, “Come Will, you are what a true hero is meant to be.”

**Author's Note:**

> LOL yeah... idk what to think about this story. I hope you enjoyed it anyways. XD


End file.
